Decorating method

ABSTRACT

A method for decorating articles of manufacture as or immediately after they are formed. Particulate decorating material is applied to selected areas of the article either directly or indirectly and is fused in situ on the article.

Unlted States Patent 1 91 1111 3,861,955

Lemelson Jan. 21, 1975 1 DECORATING METHOD 3,143,960 8/1964 Naczynski 118/301 3,147,142 9 1964 Rudo 117 105 [76] Inventor. James H. Lemelson, 85 Rector St., 3,254,626 6/1966 Uemumm 117,175 Metuchen, 03340 3,291,631 12/1966 Smith 117/19 3,361,110 H1968 Szczcpanski. 118/301 [22] 1970 3,396,401 8/1968 Nonomura... 117/21 [21] Appl. No.: 16,192 3,437,072 4/1969 Lcvinson r. 117/21 3,462,285 8/1969 Thompson. 117 21 Related Appllcauon Data 3,504,063 3/1970 lJJmClSOn 4. 264/255 [63] fgf gf gg gz82f" 4211897 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 251,781) 5/1963 7x113 6116 117 21 521 US. Cl 117/235, 117/5.5, 117/17.5, 6601555 3/1865 7/20 117 l 21 ll [51] Int. CLM H9 1 7/ i z fg g Primary Examiner-Wrlham D. Martm [58] Field 61 $661611 1i 7/5f 5 9 17 17.5 19

118/301 624 57 ABSTRACT A method for decorating articles of manufacture as or [5 References Cited immediately after they are formed. Particulate deco- UNITED STATES PATENTS rating material is applied to selected areas of the arti- 2 503 758 4/1950 Mu 7/37 R cle either directly or indirectly and is fused in situ on rray 2,676,841 4/1954 POl'lle 118/301 the arms" 3,120,806 2/1964 Supernowicz 1l7/17.5 X 2 Claims, 16 Drawing Figures PATENIEI] JANE] I975 SHEET 1 BF 2 INVENTOR. g5 ROME HYLEMELSON FIG.8

PATENTED JAN? 1 3.86 l .955

SHEET 2 OF 2 75 F I YNVENTOR. J gROME H. LEMELSON DECORATING METHOD RELATED APPLICATIONS This is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 421,897 filed Dec. 29, 1964, now US. Pat. No.

3,504,063, for Article Decoration Apparatus and Method.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An apparatus and method are provided for decorating and selectively depositing material onto surfaces of articles or sheet-like substrates. The decorating material is provided in a fluent state and is transferred either directly to the surface of the article, a parison from which the article is to be made or a mold surface against which the article is to be shaped.

Most conventional article decorating techniques involve the direct transfer of decorating material through a mask or from a printing device to the surface to be decorated. The former requires the constant cleaning of masks while printing is limited to the decoration of relatively smooth surfaces. If made automatic both printing and spray decorating require relatively complex article handling and prepositioning apparatus to dispose the articles in alignment with the spray mask and spray heads. Silk screening equipment for decorating shaped articles is limited primarily to the decoration of flat or smoothly contoured articles and requires the cleaning, inspection and constant replacement of screens. Such procedure also requires that the articles be properly prepositioned and aligned with the screen printer necessitating complex and costly conveyors and positioning equipment to align articles. Automatic screening equipment may not be easily changed or altered to accompodate differently shaped articles and hense, is generally used only for the decoration of bottles and the like of regular shape requiring large production runs. Odd shaped articles are not easily decorated by screen or spray means operative to apply liquid decorating inks, enamels or plastics.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of this invention to provide a new and improved apparatus and method for molding, and decorating articles of manufacture.

Another object is to provide an apparatus and method for shaping articles of manufacture in a mold or die and decorating said articles during the shaping operation so as to eliminate the need to rehandle the article thereafter in the act of decorating same.

Another object is to provide a new and improved apparatus for forming composite articles by selectively depositing a first material in a mold and molding a second material in situ against said first material so as to form an integral molding therewith made of both materials.

Another object is to provide an improved apparatus for coating selective areas of the walls of a mold cavity with material, operative to become part of an article formed to shape in said mold.

Another object is to provide an apparatus for selectively depositing surface coating material on a mold wall by electrostatic means.

Another object is to provide an improved electrostatic surface decorating apparatus including means for rapidly charging a photo-conducting surface, means for selectively discharging areas of said surface and means for disposing particulate surface decorating material onto selected charged areas of said material, all operative simultaneously or in rapid sequential succession.

Another object is to provide means for forming molded articles with portions of the surface thereof defined by abrasive particles.

Another object is to provide improved structures in molds and mold inserts applicable for decorating articles,

Another object is to provide new and improved structures in molds operative to receive plural materials.

Another object is to provide improved structures in printing plates, masks and methods for utilizing same to decorate irregular surfaces therewith.

Another object is to provide a new printing method applicable for decorating irregular surfaces.

Another object is to provide an improved method and apparatus for coating molds with substantially the required quantity of mold release material and maintaining said condition throughout many molding cycles.

Another object is to provide apparatus and methods for selectively coating various articles formed in dies such as stampings and forgings by coating the walls of said dies prior to engagement with said articles.

Another object is to provide an apparatus and method for selectively coating surfaces of articles formed from sheet material during the process of stamping or pressure deforming sheet material to form said articles.

Another object is to provide improved means for spraying decorative and surface conditioning materials through a mask in a manner whereby a minimum amount of spraying material is deposited on the mask.

Another object is to provide apparatus and methods for selectively coating or decorating articles wherein magnetic forces are employed to effect same.

Another object is to provide a method of decorating and printing by selectively depositing thermoplastic particles on to predetermined areas of a surface, rendering same semi-molten thereon and transferring the semimolten indicia to another surface to which it becomes bonded upon solidifying.

With the above and such other objects in view as may hereafter more fully appear, the invention consists of the novel constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts as will be more fully described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawings:

FIG. I is a side cross-sectional view of a portion of a molding apparatus including a mold member having a cavity in which material is molded to shape and auxiliary apparatus operative to deposit a material onto selected areas of the wall of the mold cavity which material coats or eventually defines a portion of the article molded therein;

FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the apparatus in FIG. 1 in operative relationship in the act of selectively coating the mold wall;

FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view of the mold member of FIG. 1 assembled with a second mold member to define a molding cavity after processing the wall of the mold cavity by the means illustrated in FIGS. 1 and FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view of an article molded in the apparatus of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a front view of the article of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a side cross-sectional view of a modified form of the apparatus of FIG. 1 in which coating material is transferred to the wall of the mold cavity by means operative to preposition and engage the surface of the mold cavity;

FIG. 7 is a side view of a modified type of mold coating apparatus;

FIG. 8 is an end view showing further details of apparatus for selectively coating areas of a mold cavity wall;

FIG. 9 is an end view of a modified form of apparatus of the type illustrated in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a side cross-sectional view ofa molding apparatus and an apparatus operative to electrostatically charge the surface of the wall of the cavity of a mold;

FIG. 11 is a side cross-sectional view of apparatus operative to selectively discharge areas of the surface of the cavity wall of the mold of FIG. 1;

FIG. 12 is a side view of the mold of FIG. 11 and a further apparatus for depositing particulate or droplet material against selected areas of the wall as defined by the means of FIGS. 10 and 11;

FIG. 13 is an end view of an apparatus for prepositioning the surface charging, discharging and depositing means of FIGS. 10 to 12;

FIG. 14 is a side view of a modified form of apparatus operative to perform similar to that provided in FIGS. 10 to 12.

FIG. 15 is an end view in cross section of a fragment of a die applicable for decorating or welding articles of manufacture and FIG. 16 is an end view in cross section of a modified form of fluid heated die applicable for decorating or welding articles of manufacture.

This invention is concerned with molding articles having composite surface structures produced by selectively depositing one or more materials against a predetermined area or areas of the surface of the wall of a mold cavity which is shaped to define the shape of the article molded therein. After such selective deposition, which is preferably effected by electrostatic means, molding material is injected, poured, compressed, blown or otherwise caused to enter the mold cavity and abut the wall thereof and combine with the deposited material which becomes an integral part of the material being molded, preferably defining at least a portion of the surface of the article molded in the cavity. While the apparatus and method are primarily intended for use with polymeric materials such as thermoplastic resins, other materials may also be utilized as the molding and decorating materials such as metals, ceramics, glass, non-metallics or the like in combination with each other or said polymeric materials.

Molding techniques applicable to this invention in addition to injection molding which will be described, include compression molding, slush or rotational molding, pour molding, compacting such as prior to sintering, spray molding and the like.

The process involves the steps of (a) selectively de positing a first material in the form of fine droplets or particulate solid material onto selected and predetermined areas of the surface of the wall of a mold cavity; (b) molding a material in said cavity which material is in such a state prior to or during molding by virtue of its molten or semi-molten condition that it forms an integral bond with the first material deposited on the surface of the mold cavity wall. Depending on the materials employed and the molding procedure, the first material may, prior to introducing the molding material thereagainst, remain in the state, liquid or powder, in which it is initially deposited or may be further processed prior to molding thereagainst. For example, if said first material is a thermoplastic applied in particulate or powder form, heat applied through the mold wall or by radiant or other means may be utilized to cause the particles to melt into a unitary mass prior to molding. Such mass or coating may remain semimolten during molding or may be cause to solidify just prior to molding depending on the materials employed and the parameters of the molding procedure.

In a preferred form of the invention, both the mold ing and decorating materials comprise thermoplastic resins such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamide, polyvinyl-chloride, acetate, styrene or the like with the decorating material selectively applied to predetermined areas of the mold wall by spraying or dusting with charged powder particles of the same or different resins which are attracted to areas of the mold wall which areas have been rendered of opposite electrostatic charge to that of the particles. The procedure is continued for a predetermined time interval until a desired amount of material has been deposited or desired thickness of coating has formed, after which the molding material is introduced against the surface of the mold cavity wall and caused to combine with the applied material by fusion therewith.

Other materials which may be applied to the selected areas of the surface of the mold include powdered metal, ceramic, glass, thermosetting resins, carbon, etc. or any of these materials in other forms such as droplets, fibers, chips or the like which may be selectively deposited by electrostatic means. The molding materials may be molten, semi-molten, powder or other forms of the above materials which are poured, injected, compacted, blown or otherwise introduced into the mold cavity. A predetermined quantity of the same or different materials may be flowed by gravity, dusted or brush applied, inertially projected, carried on a stream of another fluid such as air or otherwise dispensed to flow against the wall of the mold cavity and caused to deposite onto selected areas thereof by electrostatic or magnetic attraction means or masking means. If carried on an air stream or other fluid dispensed from a nozzle, they may be charged or magnetized in the gun or nozzle from which they are ejected against the mold wall for the selective deposition thereof as will be hereinafter described. They may also be rendered molten or semimolten in the nozzle or gun to provide same as a continuous coating on the said selected area or areas of the mold wall which wall may be cooled by heat transfer fluid flowing therethrough to rapidly solidify the coating material and the molding material disposed thereagainst thereafter.

The process may also be applicable to the selective coating or decorating of articles which are stamped or otherwise formed in a die or pressure forming mold oeperative to form sheet material if the coating material is either provided in a molten state when applied or rendered molten or semi-molten in the die just prior to forming a sheet therein.

The process and apparatus described hereafter may also be utilized for selectively coating or plating the wall of molds and other irregularly shaped articles with materials operative to improve the operation thereof,

or in certain instances such as the fabrication of electrical circuits or electrical devices, to provide insulating and/or conducting portions thereof.

There is shown in FIG. 1 an apparatus including a mold or die member 11 and an assembly 18 which is operative to apply material to selected areas of the surface 13 of the wall 12 of a mold cavity 12 defined at least in part by mold member 11. Member 11 may be utilized per se or in combination with one or more further mold or die members operative to shape a material by casting, injecting or otherwise disposing said material in the mold cavity against the surface 13. Prior to disposing said material against surface 13, in accordance with the teachings of this invention, one or more selected areas of the cavity wall are coated or otherwise covered with a material which will eventually define a portion of the surface of the article shaped in the cavity 12.

Assembly 18 includes an elongated support member 26 which is secured to a frame or flanged retainer 23 having a mask 19 which is shaped to conform to at least part of the surface 13 of the wall 12 of the cavity 12' in member 11 and has a plurality of openings 22 in a shell-like portion 21 thereof extending from a flange secured to the flange of member 23. In other words, members 19 and 23 define a hollow enclosure having a wall portion operative to engage and serve as a mask for the surface 13 upon being moved thereagainst or abutted by movement of member 11.

Centrally disposed within frame or housing member 23 is a nozzle assembly 24 having a tip 25 with one or more openings 25 therein from which streams of material in particulate, droplet or atomized form may be directed through the opening 22 in wall 21 of the mask 19 to be disposed against surface 13. Such material may be fed under pressure per se or on a carrier stream of fluid such as air through a tube or conduit 24' held by support member 26 to the nozzle 24 upon alignment of assembly 18 with 11 and engagement of the outer surface of the mask 19 with the proper portion of the surface 13 of mold 11.

The mold wall deposition apparatus of FIG. 1 is subject to a number of variations in structure and mode of operation. In its simplest form, the shell-like mask or stencil 21 may be molded of sheet material with its outer surface adapted to conform to the shape of the wall 13 of the mold cavity 12 in the face or wall 12 of the mold. Upon engagement of the outer surface of mask 19 and the surface of wall 13, material may be directed as one or more streams of powder or atomized liquid through the opening or openings in the mask and become disposed in the shape of the opening against a predetermined area of the cavity wall. After a predetermined quantity of such material has been so deposited, automatic control means such as a cycle controller may be operative to terminate the flow of such material by closing a valve or deenergizing a pumping means after which said control means is operative to effect retraction of the mask and spray assembly from the mold cavity and/or movement of the mold member 11 to separate the two so that molding may be effected thereafter. With such an arrangement, it will be necessary to wipe or otherwise remove sprayed material from the mask 19 periodically if not during each cycle so as to prevent such material from running along the outside surface 2] of the mask and become deposited on the mold cavity wall 13 and to prevent clogging of the openings 22 in the mask. Such cleaning operation may be effected by automatic means such as operative to imerse it in a solvent while molding is in progress.

Electrostatic forces may be employed in order to reduce contamination of the mask and assure that a larger percentage of the sprayed material is actually deposited on the selected area or areas of the mold cavity wall surface. A number of techniques may be employed as hereinafter presented. In a first method, the mold or an insulated liner therefore defining the wall ofthc cavity l2 as hereinafter provided, may be electrically charged to a first polarity and the sprayed particulate material or atomized droplets charged in the gun to a the same polarity. If the mask 19 is uncharged and nonconducting or insulating to the charge on the surface of the mold cavity wall, the finely devided spray particles are'only affected by and attracted to the surface or surfaces of the mold cavity wall exposed through the openings in the mask. Thus substantially all of the particles will flow through the mask or stencil openings and deposit on the mold wall surfaces exposed therethrough. The spray nozzle 24 and its related feed and charging apparatus may comprise apparatus manufactured by Shames, Incorporated of Palisades Park, New Jersey under the trade name, Stajet which is defined as electrostatic dry powder spraying. If thermoplastic powder is so deposited, it may be melted to form a contiguous coating on the surface area or areas defined by the openings 22 in the mask by heat applied to the mold wall from either the previous charge molded therein or by means of heat transfer fluid flowed through passageways 15 in the mold wall adjacent the surfce 13 of the cavity. A high voltage, low amperage charge on such particles is applied in the nozzle being of the order of KV potential and continuous flow is effected until terminated under mild air pressure of 0.3 to 1.5 pounds per square inch.

In a second method, the mask 19 or a coating thereon, may be charged to a potential opposite to that at which the particles or droplets are charged so as to effect repulsion of said particles therefrom and effect their direction through the openings 22 therein. If sprays of particulate material are directed in the general vicinity of the openings 22 in the mask and are controlled in their flow path as well as duration, then those particles which would ordinarily impinge on the uncharged mask, will be repelled therefrom and directed through the openings therein. Variations in this method include constructing the mask with conductive coatings or metal members which are selectively positioned around or adjacent to the openings in the mask and are adapted to be electrically charged to repel oppositely charged particles or droplets therefrom so as to permit flow of said particles through the mask openings and deposition thereof onto the areas of the mold cavity wall exposed through said openings. Connection of the mask conductors or coatings with a source of the proper potential may be effected through wires extending along the support 26 to the source of potential through a control or switch which is operative by the same electrical control means controlling the other molding variables. While it may not be necessary to charge the mold member 11 to attract sprayed particles thereto through the mask openings, such means may be operative to improve the selective mold coating operation.

In a third method, a fine electro-conductive metal screen is disposed in the mask openings 22 and is charged so as to charge the particulate material flowed therethrough from the spray gun or other means. The mold or cavity wall liner therefore is oppositely charged so as to attract the particles passing through the screen. The particles are thereafter fixed or melted and solidified as described prior to the admission of the molding material to the mold. The entire stencil 19 may be made of such electro-conductive metal screen which is shaped to the contour of the mold cavity wall and is internally supported and secured to member 18. Disposing a shell or non-conductive coating along the inside surface of the screen mask along those areas aligned with portions of the mold cavity wall which are not to receive coating material will serve to render the screen a stencil-like structure in which non-coated or covered areas thereof define openings through which particulate material may flow to the surface of the mold cavity wall.

In mask constructions involving such a fine, electroconductive metal screen, the screen may be embedded within the wall of the stencil or mask 19 or bonded to the front or rear surface thereof. If bonded to the front surface of 19, the mask may be positioned away from the surface of the mold wall so as to prevent shorting. If supported within or behind the the mask base 19, the screen will be insulated thereby from the mold wall and if 19 is non-conducting, its front face may engage the face of the charged mold cavity wall or a liner therefore.

Electrostatic atomizing equipment applicable to the mold coating apparatus of FIG. 1 may comprise a centrifugal atomizer such as the model FR manufactured by Ionic Electrostatic Corporation of Garfield, NJ.

Particulate solid materials may be applied to the surface of the mold cavity wall by means other than spraying such as gravity flow or brush means disposed adjacent the mask or within the assembly 18 and operative to provide a steady flow of particles against the mold wall through openings in the mask or against selecteively charged portions of the mold wall adapted to electrically retain particles against the areas so charged. means as described hereafter such as photoconductive mold coating means may be employed to selectively charge predetermined areas of the mold wall to retain opposite charged particles thereagainst. Or the mold wall may be constructed with portions thereof which define the surface of the cavity 12' being chargeable while adjacent portions are not so chargeable for attracting sprayed or otherwise flowed particles of coating material when electrically energized or charged.

FIG. 2 illustrates assembly 18 in working relationship with member 11 whereby material may be sprayed from nozzle 24 through the openings 22 in mask member 19 so as to coat selected areas of 13. Such positioning is preferably effected after the mold 11 has been conditioned and positioned for the coating operation by the controlled movement of either or both member 11 and assembly 23. Upon attaining the mating relationship between the assembly and mold member 11 as illustrated in FIG. 2, a predetermined quantity of material is flowed through the inlet to the nozzle 24 and is ejected through one or more holes in the nozzle tip portion 25 through the opening or openings in the mask until a coating or covering of predetermined depth has been applied to the surface of the mold.

In FIG. 3, the assembly 24 has been removed from the vicinity of the mold member 11 and a second mold member 16 is shown assembled with 11 to define a molding cavity 17 into which molding material such as a polymer, ceramic or metal may be flowed through an opening or inlet 15 shown in mold member 16. Notation 27 refers to the material disposed against the surface 13 of mold member 11 by the means described which defines a portion of the outer surface of the molded member 28 shown in FIG. 4. Depending on the characteristics of both the molding material and the material 27 applied to portions of the surface 13, retention of said material against the molded article may be effected by mechanical means resulting from molding in situ thereagainst or bonding or welding means resulting from fusion of the molding material and the spray applied material 27.

Other features of the apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 include the provision of a plurality of passageways 15' in the mold section 11 through which heat transfer material may be flowed to perform one or more of a plurality of functions. For example, if the material ejected from nozzle 24 and directed through the openings 22 of the mask 19 is a particulate thermoplastic polymer, it may be desirable to melt said material in situ on the surface of the mold and solidify same into one or more formations which are temporarily bonded to the mold wall until molding occurs whereafter they also become bonded to the molding material and are removable therewith upon removal of the molded article from the mold. In such an arrangement, if the material is not sprayed from the nozzle in a molten or semimolten condition, it may be desirable to pass a hot fluid or liquid through the passageways 15 to heat the wall of the mold to cause the melting of the applied particulate material. Such heating may also be desirable to cure a thermosetting resin applied in particulate or droplet form to the surface 13 through the openings in the mask prior to molding. In order to hasten solidification of the molding material in the mold cavity, it may also be desirable to pass a coolant or heat transfer fluid through passageways 15 disposed adjacent to cavity and operative to rapidly remove heat from the mold wall. Or, if a thermosetting resin is applied in particulate or fluid state to the mold cavity during molding, it will be desirable to heat the wall of the mold to cause same to set by passing a heated fluid through the passageways 15 in the mold wall. Although not illustrated, the mold member 16 of FIG. 3 may also contain heat transfer fluid passageways connected as are the passageways 15 of mold member 11 to a source of heat transfer fluid through a control means therefor such as a valve which may be cyclically controlled by means of interlock switches or a programming means operative to control the other molding variables which have been described or will be described hereafter.

In another form of the invention, if mold member 11 is metal, the mask 19 may be insulated therefrom by a coating of insulating material disposed against the outer surface of portion 21 thereof while the remainder of the mask may be made of metal which is charged to a first potential. If the nozzle 24 contains means for charging the material ejected therefrom to a polarity which is similar to that charging the mask. then the streams of particulate or droplet material will be repelled from the mask but will be allowed to pass through the openings therein so that the mask itself will not be come interiorly coated and substantially all of the coating material will become disposed against the selected areas of the wall of the mold defined by the openings in the mask. A suitable mask design may comprise one in which metal sheet which charge to the polarity of the coating material is disposed behind the face of a mask shell made of insulating material and is so contoured as to provide the proper flow of coating material when charged to a predetermined potential. Generally, it is desirable to charge the mask to a potential of from 100 to 800 volts either positive or negative polarity with a similar polarity rendered on the particles or droplets sprayed from nozzle 24 by passing same between electrodes or over a drum of higher potential charge.

If the material ejected from nozzle 24 is in particulate form, it may remain so just prior to molding and even after molding depending on the composition of the composite article to be produced. Particles of ceramic or metal may be made part of the molded article by mechanical retention thereagainst when the molding material encapsulates at least a portion, if not all, of said particles or may melt upon flowing the molding material into the cavity by means of heat transferred thereto from said molding material. Furthermore, it is noted that the mold member 11 may have retained sufficient heat from the prior molding cycle to melt and fuse the particulate or droplet material disposed thereagainst as described so as to form one or more solid or semimolten coatings on the surface of the mold.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate the molded article 28 containing selected areas 27 thereof coated or inlayed with coating material as described which may be used for decorative or other purposes. If the molding material is a thermoplastic polymer of a first color, the material applied to the wall of the mold may comprise the same or a different polymer of a second color operative to decorate same. The material applied to the wall of the mold through the mask may serve other functions then merely to decorate the surface of the molded article. For example, it may be made of a polymer or other material having a higher or lower lustre, frictional characteristic, rigidity, strength, lubricity or other characteristic than the molding material. For example, conducting, non-conducting and semi-conducting materials may be applied to surfaces of molded articles by the means described as may electrical circuit components and the like.

The apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2 may also be operative for forming articles of manufacture with surface decorations by means other than molding. For example, member 11 may comprise part of a stamping die assembly operative to receive sheet or other material which is deformed into the cavity 12 and is compressed against the material coated thereagainst as described whereby, when the stamping is removed from the cavities, said decorative or coating material will be retained against the die-stamped article. Such retention may be effected by providing the deformed sheet of a material having a greater affinity for the material coated against the wall [3 than the material comprising said wall or by heating, coating or otherwise processing the sheet material so as to retain the material temporarily retained against surface 13.

Regardless of the process utilized to form the composite article, for certain coating and molding materials it may be desirable to provide the surface 13 of the mold cavity 12' of a material which will release the coating material 27 to the article formed thereagainst and said surface may be part of a coating or liner disposed against the mold such as polytetrafluoroethylene or the like. The surface 13 may also have a lubricant applied thereto prior to application of the coating material 27. Such lubricants as graphite film, silicone materials and the like may be automatically sprayed, applied by glow discharge means or other means against the surface of the mold cavity prior to applying material 27 thereagainst. The electrical glow discharge electrode as well as means for expelling the desired vapor to be deposited against the mold wall may be mounted within the housing defined by notation 24 or insulatedly supported off housing member 18. A monomer discharged as a vapor from the spray nozzle 24 may be directed as described against predetermined areas of the mold wall and polymerized in situ thereon by the action of the glow discharge means. The glow discharge means may also include an electrode defined by mask member 21 or secured thereto and of such a potential as to polymerize the monomer vapors or particles deposited on the mold wall as or shortly after deposition.

In the hereinbefore described molding and decorating procedures, one or more articles may be secured to the surface of the mold cavity wall prior to or after application of the spray deposited coating material to form composite articles made of the molding material, the deposited material and said secured articles. Accordingly deposition as described may be effected on either or both the articles and the mold wall prior to molding.

FIG. 6 illustrates the molding apparatus of FIG. I having decoration means 30 therefor operative to provide material against the surface 13 of the mold cavity wall for the purposes described by means of transfer of said material from a form 31 having its outer surface 32 conforming to the mold wall when in operative relation therewith. The form or transfer device 31 is supported by an arm or frame 33 which is movable from a position in which it clears the mold sections so as to permit closure of the mold to a position directly in line with mold cavity 12 after which either the mold member 11 moves to engage or move closely adjacent the surface 32 of 31 or the means supporting 33 is operative to move the printing form into engagement with the surface of the mold cavity so as to effect transfer of one or more coatings or articles 27" disposed against surface 32. The material 27" may be attracted to surface 13 upon engagement therewith as a result of the partial or complete transfer of said material by adhesion thereagainst. If the material 27" and/or the mold member 11 are provided with an electrical charge or charges operative to attract and retain said material against the surface of the mold cavity wall, then such means may be provided to effect transfer of all or part of said material. The apparatus of FIG. 6 preferably includes automatic means for replenishing the one or more coatings or articles 27" to be transferred from the surface 32 to the mold wall while the mold is being utilized for molding purposes and such operation is preferably completed prior to completion of the molding operation so that the transfer member 31 may be immediately projected or rotated into position in alignment with the mold cavity. The material 27" disposed against the face 32 of transfer form 31 may comprise preshaped inserts of metal, plastic or ceramic fed into position and bonded or otherwise retained against surface 32 by automatic assembly means. It may also comprise coating material sprayed, screened, roller or otherwise disposed against selected areas of surface 32 by automatic means operative during the molding cycle and preferably controlled by a single programming means which also controls the other molding variables so as to synchronize the molding and decoration operations.

FIG. 7 illustrates a modified form of the invention which includes a support 33 for a form 34, the outer surface of which is shaped to substantially conform to the surface 13 of the mold cavity wall. Disposed against the outer surface 34 of 34 is a sheet 35 of decorative material such as printed flexible plastic film or thermally deformed rigid plastic sheet. Either or both surfaces of the sheet or film 35 are preferably decorated by printing which decorative printing becomes part of the molded article when 35 is disposed against the surface 13 of the mold cavity by movement of either the mold or the assembly supporting 35 to cause engagement of 35 against the mold cavity wall. Securing of member 35 to the mold cavity wall may be effected by bonding thereagainst resulting from temporarily heat sealing 35 thereto or by electrostatic means in which either or both the mold and film 35 are statically charged so as to effect attraction and retention of 35 against the cavity wall upon engagement therewith permitting removal of the form 34 from the vicinity of the mold cavity and its retraction so as to clear the mold to permit the closure thereof and effect a molding cycle in which material is molded directly against sheet 35 disposed against the surface of the mold cavity wall.

Apparatus associated with the. transfer means illustrated in FIG. 7 preferably includes means for automatically disposing new sheet material 35 against the outer surface of form 34 while the molding operation is in progress, such means preferably being automatic. This may include means for prepositioning thin, preprinted or otherwise decorated film over the form 34, draping and retaining same thereagainst by bonding or electrostatic means. If electrostatic means is utilized to retain decorated plastic film against surface 34', it is preferably of a lower order of attraction then the charge disposed along the surface of the cavity of mold 11 so that the film will transfer thereto without difficulty.

In another form of the invention illustrated in FIG. 7, a printed or otherwise decorated sheet of thermally deformable plastic film is either shaped to the contour of surface 34' by conventional vacuum or pressure forming means or is thermally deformed in situ thereagainst while molding occurs.

In still another form of the invention, means may be provided for clampingly engaging a sheet of decorated, thermally deformable plastic against the face 14 of mold member 11, heating said sheet to a semi-molten condition and applying pressure to the outer surface thereof or a die to cause same to enter the cavity and to conform to the surface 13 of the cavity wall. By die cutting said sheet against either surface 13 or 14 and retaining it in position against surface 13, it may be utilized to form an integral portion of the article shaped when molding material is injected into a mold cavity thereafter and solidified in situ thereagainst.

Notation 33 in FIG. 7 refers to an airline extending through member 33 to an opening therein extending to the interior of shell or from 34. One or more holes 34' in member 24 permit pressurizing the internal volume 34" to cause sheet 35 to be forced off shell 34. If vacuum is applied to volume 34 through line 33 it may be used to vacuum form the decorated thermoplastic sheet in situ against the surface of shell 34 to conform thereto so that sheet 35 will conform to the shape ofthe mold cavity wall.

In other words, the apparatus of FIG. 7 may be oper ative in a plurality of modes to provide a form or sheet of decorative material against the surface of the mold wall cavity to become an integral part of the article molded thereafter in the mold. In a first mode of operation, a sheet 35 of preshaped decorative material such as printed or otherwise decorated transparent, translucent or colored plastic having decorations provided on its outer surface 35, is prepositioned on the form 35 while the form is retracted from the mold and preferably during the previous cycle of molding and is held thereagainst by suction applied through line 33. After the mold has been opened and the previously molded article removed therefrom, member 33 is automatically moved to position sheet 35 against the surface of the mold cavity wall. Positive air pressure and/or electrostatic forces are thereafter used to remove member 35 from the surface of shell 34 and retain it against the surface of the mold cavity wall. Pressure applied through line 33' or the release of vacuum therefrom with sheet member 35 and/or the mold itself being electrostatically charged, may be utilized to secure sheet 35 to the mold wall.

In a second mode of operation, a decorated sheet of plastic or other material such as metal, is deformed against the outer surface 35' of shell 35 by vacuum, pressure or die means and made to conform thereto while the shell is retracted from the mold and during the molding part of the cycle. Thereafter the shell 34 is positioned in alignment with the mold cavity and projected therein so as to engage sheet 35 against the irregularly shaped wall of the mold cavity. Transfer and retention of the deformed sheet to conform to the surface of the mold cavity wall is next effected as described.

FIG. 8 illustrates part of a molding apparatus including mold wall decoration means of the type described which is pivotally movable into alignment with the cavity of a mold section 11 of a multiple part mold, the other part of which is not illustrated but is closeable against the face of part 11 when the surface decorating means illustrated has cleared the side of the mold.

The mold section 11 is shown movable longitudinally along a plurality of parallel cylindrical guide rods 36 which are supported on a frame secured to the mount 37 for the molding apparatus. The lineal actuator such as a hydraulic cylinder (not shown) is connected to mold section 11 and moves same longitudinally along rods 36 in the act of opening and closing said mold section against, for example, mold section 16 shown in FIG. 3 for defining a molding cavity therewith. When retracted therefrom, the front face of mold section 11 clears a positioning device for the mold mask 19 or the apparatus of FIGS. 6 or 7 which is mounted on an arm 26 which is pivotally supported for rotation with a shaft 44 of an actuating device 43 shown mounted on the floor at the side of the mold base 37. Actuator device 43 may be of any suitable design and is operative to either locate the mask 19 and mount 23 for the spray nozzle from the position illustrated in FIG. 8 to a position directly in alignment with the mold cavity 12 so that either further movement of said mask as the result of lineal movement of shaft 44 and/or movement of the mold section 11 will bring the face of the mask into sur face abutmentwith the surface 13 of the mold cavity. Notation 39 refers to a pipe or conduit extending along support 26 and connecting the spray nozzle 24 with means for pressurizing material to be sprayed through the openings in the mask. A section 40 of conduit 39 is flexible and connects the lower end of 39 with the output of a pump 41 disposed between a reservoir 42 containing material to be dispensed through nozzle 24. Operation of the apparatus of FIG. 8 is preferably automatic and synchronized so as to position the mask in alignment with the mold cavity, move the mold member 11 and/or shaft 44 to bring the two surfaces into abutment with each other, operate the pump 41 or a valve in such a manner as to dispense a predetermined quantity of coating material through the spray nozzle; flow heat transfer fluid through the passageways in the mold to affect material deposited on the surface of the mold cavity wall; retract the mold and/or mount for the mask and pivot the latter so as to clear the mold; move the mold member 11 so as to close against the other mold member to define a molding cavity; inject a predetermined quantity of molding material into the mold; cause flow of further heat transfer fluid to effect solidification of the molding material; opening the mold after said solidification and effect removal of the molded composite article from that portion of the mold against which it is retained prior to withdrawal or knockout. Such a cycle of operations may involve program control of various servo motors and valves under the control of a single, variable programming device such as a multicircuit timer.

FIG. 9 illustrates further modifications to the apparatus hereinbefore described which includes a lineal actuator 45 disposed on a mount 37' extending from the side of the mold frame or base 37 and operative to project a shaft 46 mounting the mask 19 or the devices of FIGS. 6 and 7 into alignment with the mold cavity 12. Thereafter, the servo means moving mold 111 is operated to bring the mold cavity into abutment with the aligned mask 19 and material is transferred from the dispensing device as described. In FIG. 9, the dispensing device includes a nozzle or other form of particulate or droplet forming and dispensing means 50 which is shown pivotally mounted in a yoke 47 and is pivoted therein by means of a small servo motor 49 secured to shaft 46 so as to permit directing of material ejected therefrom along one or more predetermined paths within the volume defined by the mask 19. Device 50 is supported on a shaft 48 which is rotatable in the yoke 47 and servo device 49 is preferably program controlled in its operation for certain mold decorating applications. However, in many applications, it may suffice to provide the design of the nozzle head or tip 25 with one or more openings therein which are so positioned as to direct one or a plurality of streams of liquid, particulate or droplet material along substantially predetermined paths so as to pass through the openings in the mask 19. Notation 40 refers to a flexible conduit of sufficient length to connect the nozzle 50 with a source of material to be sprayed and pressurizing means therefor when the shaft 46 is fully projected.

It is also noted that the yoke mount for the nozzle 49 of FIG. 9 may be replaced by a gimball mount therefor and a plurality of program controllable servo motors for positioning the nozzle to direct one or more sprays of coating material against respective areas of the mask.

Still another method and apparatus for selectively coator depositing material against the surface of a mold cavity wall is illustrated in FIGS. 10 to 14 which employs xerographic techniques in which the mold itself is provided at a ground potential and a coating or liner of photoconducting material defines all or a portion of the wall of the molding cavity. A grid wire or electrode shaped to conform to the surface of the mold cavity wall is first used to uniformly charge the photoconductive liner, which charge is thereafter removed from selected areas by means of a light patternas disclosed in US. Pat. No. 2,955,052.

FIGS. 10-13 illustrate apparatus for selectively depositing material on the surface of a mold wall cavity by electrostatic deposition means in which particles or atomized droplets of the coating material are charged either negatively or positively and are attracted to oppositely charged areas of the surface of the mold. In FIG. 10, a mold section 51 has a molding cavity 52 which is either coated with or defined by a liner made of a photoconductive insulating material such as vitreous selenium, selenium-tellurium mixtures, zinc oxide in a ceramic binder, or the like. The photoconductive insulating material is one which is able to retain, while unexposed to light, an electrostatic charge on its surface for a sufficiently long time interval to allow exposure and development or other utilization of a formed electrostatic charge pattern on its surface which, on exposure to activating radiation, rapidly dissipates charge. The surface 53 of the mold cavity wall, lining or coating thereof may be first uniformly charged by any suitable charging means prior to creating a charge pattern by means of light images projected thereagainst. In FIG. 10 the charging means comprises a fixture 64 which is operative to position an electrode 66 such as a corona discharge plate which is shaped to conform to the surface of the mold cavity and is positionable immediately adjacent thereto after the mold sections 51 and 61 are separated as illustrated. Shellshaped electrode 66 is insulatedly supported off a base by means of an insulating sheet member 67 and is charged by means of voltage in the order of 6,000 to 10,000 volts supplied thereto through a conductor 68 from a source of said potential. The base 65 is supported at the end of the shaft 71 of a lineal actuator such as an air cylinder which is supported on a base secured to the end of a second shaft 73 of a servo device 74 which is operative to rotate 64 thereon and to longitudinally move to position the electrode 66 within the cavity of the mold 51. By a combination of program controlled operation of the servo means (not shown) moving mold member 51 and/or the servo devices 74 and 70, electrode 66 may be brought into the immediate vicinity of the surface of the mold cavity as illustrated and energized to create a uniform charge pattern across said surface or the areas thereof coated or lined with photoconductive material. Corona discharge of electrical charge through the air gap between the outer surface of the electrode 66 and the surface of the mold cavity wall may be utilized to effect the charging of the latter or engagement of the electrode thereagainst may be employed to effect said charging.

Other features of-the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 10 include the provision of a coupling means 69 disposed between base member 65 and the shaft 71 of lineal actuator 70 permitting removal of the electrode 66 therefrom and its replacement with electrodes of other shapes which may be utilized to charge molds having cavities of different shapes. One or more fasteners 69 may be provided as part of the coupling member 69 which may be loosened to remove the electrode assembly and tightened to fasten a new assembly thereon. For example, a single straight or bent corona discharge wire may be secured to an insulating member retained by the coupling 69 and will suffice for charging the surfaces of certain mold cavity walls without resort to an electrode of the complexity of that illustrated in FIG. 10 provided that it is properly positioned with respect to the mold by the means illustrated. Notation 72 refers to a self-winding reel supply means for the flexible line 68 extending to the charging electrode 66 which reel is connected to a source of sufficient high voltage potential through a switching means (not illustrated) which is operative to supply said voltage to the electrode at the proper instant during a cycle which will be described. The mold member 51 is mounted on a plurality of rods 58 in accordance with conventional molding apparatus construction, which rods are supported in sliding bearing by means of a plate 57 and are connected to an actuating device such as a hydraulic ram 59 for bringing the surface 54 of the mold into sealing engagement with the surface 63 of the other mold member 61 and, in certain instances, for prepositioning mold member 51 with respect to the electrode 66 upon alignment of the latter with the cavity 52 thereof. Mold member 61 is shown supported on a stationary mount 63. Although not illustrated, the electrode means mounted on base 65 may also be shaped and operative to uniformly charge the surface of the cavity 62 of mold member 61 if it is desired to also selectively deposit material thereon by the means hereafter described. Notation 55 refers to passageways in the mold member 51 for flowing one or more heat transfer fluids which are supplied thereto and removed therefrom by means of multiple flexible conduits 56 connected to one or more sources of said fluid or fluids.

In FIG. 11, means for projecting a light pattern against the charged surface of the photoconducting material defining the mold cavity wall surface is mounted in a housing 76 supported at the end ofa shaft 77 of a lineal actuator 78 which predeterminedly positions said housing in alignment with the mold cavity. The housing 76 preferably includes, in addition to a light source of sufficient in tensity, the necessary optical projection components and a mask such as photographic film disposed so as to provide the requisite light pattern as one or more projected beams emitting therefrom which predeterminedly intersects the surface of the charged photoconductive material defining the molding surface of the mold cavity to be selectively discharged by said light. The operation of the light source in housing 76 is preferably controlled by the same programming means controlling positioning of the housing and the other operations occurring during a molding cycle. A flexible wire 76W extends from the light source in housing 76 to a power supply through a switch (not shown) which is controlled by said program control means.

After the photoconductive surface of the mold has been selectively discharged to define a charge pattern thereon, droplet or particulate material having a charge opposite to that of the charged areas of the mold surface is flowed or sprayed thereagainst by means such as that illustrated in FIG. 12 and the particles form in a pattern substantially defined by the charge pattern against the surface of the mold. The particulate spraying means illustrated in FIG. 12 includes a spray nozzle 79 secured to the end of a shaft 82 of a lineal actuator (not shown) of the type described which is controlled by the said program control means to project and prop osition said nozzle in alignment with the molding cavity after the projection means 76 has been removed from the general vicinity thereof. Notation 80 refers to a flexible conduit extending from nozzle 79 through which particulate or atomizable liquid coating material is controllably flowed by valve means (not illustrated) which is also controlled by said programming means. Notation 81 refers to a flexible electrical cable extending to the spray head 79 which is connected to a source of high voltage potential and electrode means disposed within said spray head for properly charging the material sprayed therefrom against the mold so that the particles dispensed therefrom will be attracted to the charged areas of the mold surface. The operation of the apparatus is such that excess particulate material flows from the mold cavity or is deflected and expelled therefrom, a chute 83 is provided on shaft 82 for catching said material and means (not shown) are provided for recycling the material dropped into the chute 83 to the source thereof.

Although the means described for propositioning the electrode 66, projector 76, and spray nozzle 79 of FIGS. 10 to 12 may be separately mounted at different locations adjacent the molding apparatus, a preferable arrangement is to mount all three on a common rotatable base as illustrated in FIG. 13. The mount 75 for the lineal actuators 70, 78 and 84 which have been described is shown as a circular plate supported on a shaft 75 which is predeterminedly rotated by any suitable servo means (not shown). Thus each of the devices 66, 76 and 79 are respectively positioned in alignment with the cavity or cavities of either or both mold members by control of rotation of shaft 75' to perform the functions described.

FIG. 14 illustrates a modified form of the hereinbefore described apparatus in which the surface charging electrode, light pattern projection means, and coating means are all provided on a common mount and are sequentially operated to perform the described functions. A single lineal actuator 85 is mounted adjacent the molding apparatus and has a shaft 86 mounting a fixture 87 at the end thereof on which fixture is mounted a corona discharge electrode 66', a projector 76' of the type described and a housing 79' containing means for flowing charged deposition material against the surface of the mold cavity. The shaft 86 of lineal actuator 85 is not only longitudinally movable but is shown provided with means for rotating same so as to permit prepositioning of the electrode 66 mounted at the rear of frame 87 and the housings 76' and 79 with respect to the mold cavity. A reversible gear motor 88 is mounted on the side wall of 85 and the shaft 89 thereof has a bevel gear secured thereto and engaging the teeth of the gear 87 operative to rotate shaft 86 without moving therewith as the latter moves longitudinally. Slotted coupling means between gear 87 and shaft 86 may be utilized to maintain the gear in driving engagement with shaft 86 as the latter moves in and out of the actuator 85. Notation 68 refers to a flexible cable containing a fluid conduit for the material to be dispensed from discharge means 79' and electrical wires extending to the electrode 66 and the light source within housing 76'. The cable 68 is shown secured to shaft 86 and is sufficiently flexible to permit full rotation and longitudinal movement of said shaft. Notation 68 refers to an extension of cable 68 extending to the said source of fluent deposition material and the control means for power for energizing the devices 66' and 76.

The apparatus illustrated in FIG. 14 may simply include the lineal actuator 85 operative to project and re tract the devices mounted at the end of its shaft and/or rotate same as described. However, the apparatus illustrated may also be operative to pivot or otherwise move in one or more additional modes to preposition the molds preparation devices in precise alignment with the mold cavity with or without controlled movement of the mold cavity with respect thereto.

Device 79' may comprise a spray nozzle of the type described in FIG. 12 and/or other means for depositing mold coating material. For example 79 may comprise an electron beam generating gun including means for generating an intense electron beam and directing same against the surface of the mold cavity wall and means for introducing one or more materials into said beam, vaporizing said material and causing same to be carried along the beam and selectively deposited thereby against the mold cavity wall. Such an arrangement would eliminate the necessity of selectively charging areas of the mold wall cavity since the automatic deflection control and operation of the beam of the electron gun would suffice to effect the selective deposition of material in the mold cavity for the purposes hereinabove described.

In another form of the invention, the forces of magnetism may be employed for either selectively depositing a particulate material on a mold wall prior to molding or retaining a selectively deposited particulate material on a mold wall until molding is effected thereagainst or until said material is fixed and bonded to the wall by heating. Various paramagnetic particulate materials may be employed as the decorating or coating material sprayed or otherwise caused to flow and be re tained against selectively magnetized areas of the mold wall. The particulate material may comprise various thermoplastic resins loaded with magnetic oxides, barium ferrite or other material rendering same paramagnetic whereby it will be affected by a magnetic field and will be retained against a magnet or material disposed in a magnetic field of sufficient intensity. A suitable magnetic thermoplastic material which may be utilized and may be magnetized whereby it will retain itself against unmagnetized paramagnetic material such as iron or steel or other materials such as aluminum, cobalt, nickle alloys is a polyvinyl chloride filled with barium ferrite and known commercially as Koroseal which is manufactured by the B.F. Goodrich Company. If magnetized particles of such a polymer are sprayed through a mask disposed against a surface such as the surface of the mold wall cavity which is made of paramagnetic steel, the particles will be magnetically attracted thereto in the shape of the opening or openings in the mask. The particles may be melted in situ after removal of the mask or retained in particulate form magnetically held against the mold wall during admission of molding material to the mold. If the mold wall or the hereinabove described mold liner is either selectively magnetized along predetermined areas thereof is is made of a composite of magnetic and non-magnetic materials defining the molding cavity wall, the said paramagnetic coating particulate material may be flowed or sprayed against a larger area of the mold wall than that on which it is desired to deposite and retain particles with the result that only those areas of the mold wall which are magnets or are magnetized will magnetically attract and retain particulate material, whereas particulate material disposed against other areas of the mold cavity wall will fall off or may be easily removed with air blown against the mold cavity wall prior to molding.

In a particular form of magnetic mold wall operative to retain paramagnetic decorating material, an insert is provided in the wall of the mold made of a material capable of being permanently magnetized. One or more cavities in the outer surface of the insert define the contour of the decorating material to to applied to the molded article. Magnetic thermoplastic particles as described are flowed against the magnetic insert and into the cavities therein to fill said cavities. Excess particles attracted to the other portions of the insert are removed therefrom by air or mechanical means such as a brush. The particulate material is melted in the cavity in the insert or retained in particulate form until molding material is admitted to the mold operative to either melt and fuse with the particulate material or fuse same to the surface of the molding upon solification of the molding material.

As stated, the apparatus hereinabove described preferably includes a single variable programming device such as a multi-circuit timer which is manually or automatically reset at the end of each cycle and is operative to sequentially control such operations as movement of one or more mold sections to open and close against each other and to become prepositioned with respect to the described mold processing apparatus; movement of each mold processing device into working relationship with the mold cavity; operation of the processing device; retraction of the processing device to clear the mold cavity; temperature of the mold; and the controlled flow of all materials including the mold coating material, molding material and heat transfer fluid or fluids. Such programming device is preferably of the type which may be adjusted or varied without difficulty to provide a decorating and molding cycle for fabricating many different articles. In a more sophisticated form of the invention, such a variable program control means may comprise means for reading a recorded or punched tape or card, disc or drum containing command control signals which are either generated in sequence per se or in accordance with feedback signals generated by limit switches and/or sensing devices operative to sense variables such as movements of components, material flow rate, depth or coating, molding pressures, etc.

Controls for the various servo devices (i.e., solenoids which control valves and motors driving mold members, pumps, valves and the like) may be of the pulse activated bi-stable type or the infinitely variable type controlled by variable analog type control signals which are generated by the program controller as shown in my U.S. Pat. No. Re.25,570. Pulse activated controls may be used to-start, stop and reverse motors or project or retract solenoids when pulsed by signals generated by a multi-circuit timer or the like.

In addition to providing means for disposing decorative material against the surface of a molded article as described, the apparatus and method may be utilized to provide materials other than decorative against the surface of a molded article for serving various purposes. For example, materials providing better or different characteristics than the molding material may be elec trostatically adhered to one or more selected areas of the wall or walls of a mold cavity as described to abrade, provide better wear, lubricate, provide a particular rough or smooth finish, conduct electricity, insulate, provide a porous or non-pourous skin or perform some other function.

For providing a better wearing surface, the particulate material may comprise a plastic such as a polyamide. For providing a lubricated surface, said particulate material may comprise molybdenum disulfide or plastic filled therewith. Various conductive plastics, metals or compounds may be selectively disposed against the mold as described to form conducting areas or circuits on the surface of the molded part. Abrasive particles of such compounds of tungsten carbide, silicon carbide, aluminum oxide or the like may also be so disposed to become partly embedded in the surface strata of the molded part.

A printing or selective article decoration process derivable from use of the hereinbefore described apparatus comprises selectively depositing thermoplastic particulate material on the surface of an article or sheet of paper as descrete layers of said particulate material in contours representing indicia or other decorations, ren dering said deposited particulate material semi-molten or molten and while still in a semi-molten or molten condition, transferring same from the first surface against a second surface such as a sheet of paper or article, and bonding same in its original shape to the second surface. The first surface on which deposition is made may comprise a drum or printing plate and any means of FIGS. 1 to 13 may be employed to deposit and render the deposited particles molten or semimolten.

If the apparatus hereinbefore presented or modifications thereof is utilized for decorating or labling articles formed by blow molding a parison or other shape between mold sections closed thereagainst, then portions of the parison may be selectively coated or decorated as or immediately after it is formed and prior to blowing thereof to provide part or all of the surface decoration for the article molded therefrom. Such decoration or decorations may be provided on the inside and/or outside surface of the parison by a mask and spray means disposed inside and or outside the parison and operative to selectively coat atomized droplets or particulate material against the surface of the parison which immediately bond thereto. The particles of thermoplastic coating material may be rendered molten or semi-molten on the areas of the parison on which they are deposited or sprayed by the heat of the parison as it extrudes and/or other heating means as described including means disposed in the spray head, radiant heating means inside and/or outside the parison, dielectric heating means surrounding the parison or disposed on the mandrel or beam heating means as described including laser or electron beam generating means mounted on the extrusion head mandrel or exterior thereof. A stationery or movable mask which is movable at the same speed as the parison may be mounted on the mandrel which forms the inside surface of the parison at the end thereof which extends beyond the end of the die as may a spray head for particulate or atomized particles or droplets of coating material which is operative to selectively coat the inside surface of the parison prior to blowing same to shape in the mold. By eliminating the mask, the coating liquid or particulate material may be continuously sprayed from the mandrel mounted nozzle after being delivered from a source thereof through a passageway extending through the mandrel so as to provide a uniform coating of material on the entire inside surface of the parison. If the coating is sufficiently thick and remains semimolten, molten or liquid during blowing or is capable of being stretched, it will remain contiguous during blowing and may be used as a coating along the entire inside surface of the blown artcile for imparting characteristics to the blown article not rendered by the extruded parison material. If the parison material has a tendency, for example to be porous or water absorbing, the coating material may comprise, for example a thermoplastic or thermosetting resin such as an epoxy, phenolic or urea formaldehyde, polyamide, polycarbonate, phenoxy or other resin which will render the inside of the article (such as a bottle) non-absorbing and nonporous. Thermoplastic coatings so applied may set and integrally bond to the blow molding material which may be polyethylene or other suitable resin and thermosetting resins may air dry or otherwise set thereafter on the inside of the blown article. In still another form, the coating material may be applied as a spray to the inside of the blown article while still in the mold by spraying means mounted on the mandrel of the extruder inserted into the neck of the blown bottle or through a separate injector such as the blowing needle sometimes inserted into the wall of the parison and used to blow same into the mold. The mandrel inserted into the open parison or blown article, may also mount an electrode or electrodes such as an electron beam generating means, glow discharge electrode or other means operative to generate an electron beam, electrostatic, ionic or other electrical field within the parison or blown article with the mold or an electrode disposed outside the parison serving as a ground or cooperating electrode to create the electrical discharge phenomenon. Material such as a monomer in gas, vapor, atomized or particulate form or vaporized metal may be introduced into the volume defined by the parison or blown article from a source of said material or electrode mounted on the extrusion mandrel or derived from a source connected to a passageway through the mandrel. If a monomer is so deposited against the inside surface of the parison or blown article, it may be polymerized in situ against said surface by the action of the glow discharge means. If vaporized metal is so deposited, it may be protected by depositing thereover or therewith a film or coating of thermoplastic or thermosetting resin or monomer dispensed from the end of the mandrel as described and, in the case of the monomer, polymerized in situ against the inside surface of the metal or other material deposited therebefore. If a bottle is so blow molded and internally coated before removal from the mold, the coating action may be followed by a filling action in which a product is introduced through another passageway in the mandrel prior to removal therefrom.

Referring once more to the form of the invention illustrated in FIG. 6 wherein decoration material is first deposited onto selective areas of a form 31 to provide layer formatione 27" on the surface 32 thereof and is thereafter transferred to the surface 13 of the mold cavity wall, it is noted that the surface 32 of the transfer form 31 need not conform to the surface 13 to which the material formation 27" are to be transferred. Only those portions of surface 32 which contain the decorating formations 27" need conform to the surface 13 when the form 31 is moved adjacent surface 13 to effect the selective coating or decoration thereof. Accordingly, the surface portions of 31 against which material formations 27" are deposited may be raised formations surrounded by depressed surface portions of surface 32. In other words, the surface 32 may be formed by machining, etching or molding similar to that of a printing cut. Providing such a structure will permit transfer of surface decorating material such as 27" coating predetermined surface areas as defined by the raised portions of the surface 32 in one or more of a number of manners. In a first procedure, the form 31 is charged electrostatically or by direct current means applied continuously thereto to a first polarity and the particulate material is charged to an opposite polarity thereto. Flowing such material as described against the entire surface 32 will result in covering said surface therewith but only that material disposed on the raised portions of said surface will engage the surface (13) since the material disposed against the recessed portions of surface 32 is disposed away from surface 13. Transfer of the material 27" on the raised portions of member 31 may be effected by electrostatic means (i.e., where surface 13 is charged so as to remove the particles comprising formations 27" from the raised portions on which they are disposed); by magnetic attraction means (if the particles are made of a paramagnetic plastic such as vinyl containing barium ferrite and are either magnetized or are attracted to the surface 13 of the magnetized mold wall); by heating the surface 13 as described and rendering the particulate material of formations 27" semi-molten and tacky such that it adheres to 13; or by coating the surface 13 with a tacky adhesive or plastic rendered semi-molten thereon and operative to adhere all if not part of the particles of formations 27". The described procedures may be applied, in addition to decorating articles as described, for printing sheet material of flat or irregular contour wherein member 31 may be shaped as a printing plate or die with raised cut formations in the surface 32 thereof. The paper, plastic, metal or glass sheet material may be heated to melt the particles of formations 27" or a drum or platen disposed therebeneath may be up heated while the form 31 may be water cooled through internal passageway flow of coolant to prevent the particulate material disposed on the recessed portions of the platen 31 from melting. Thermoplastic resin coated sheet material may have its coating rendered semi-molten by passing same over a heated platen or drum or by dielectric heating means to bond the particles of formations 27" thereto.

If relatively thick formations are desired on the surface 13 of the mold or a sheet material, particulate material may be removed from the raised portions (defining formations 32) by means of a brush wiping same or air blown thereacross while the particulate material in the recesses remains. Heating transfer member 31 thereafter will result in rendering the particulate material in said recesses semi-molten or molten and, if it is provided to a depth whereby when heated it is at the level of the surfaces of the raised formations of the cut, then it may be engaged against and bonded to the surface 13 of the mold or a sheet material. If the member containing the surface (13) against which it is desired to transfer predeterminedly shaped formations 27 while semi-molten, is itself thermoplastic or resilient, then it may be deformed by the raised portions of the heated transfer member to compressively engage the molten or semi-molten formations contained within the recesses of the printing member 31. If the particulate material filling the recesses in a transfer member such as 31 is a heat expandable plastic such as polysyrene containing a blowing agent, it may be expanded while the transfer member (31) is disposed against the surface (13) of the mold or sheet against which it is desired to mold or secure the expanded plastic and while either the transfer member or the member to which it is to be secured are heated to effect said expansion and formation of the plastic. The surface of the article, sheet or mold to receive and retain the expanded plastic decorations may also be coated with a thermoplastic material or adhesive operative to bond the expanded plastic formations thereto so that the form 31, when removed from the vicinity of the member against which it is compressed will do so without retaining the expanded plastic formations in its recesses. A suitable self expanding plastic commercially available is Dylise expandable polystyrene which is available in small pellet or particulate form and contains from 5% to 8% of a blowing agent. In using such material, the raised portions of the form 31 preferably engage the surface of the mold, article or sheet adapted to receive and retain the expanded formations and define essentially a closed mold or mold cavities therewith and the depressed formations in form 31. Heat transferred to the form contained beads either from the form and/or the member against which the form is compressed may be operative to expand the beads and bond same into molded formations defined by the shape of the cavities and the surface against which the form in which the cavities are provided is compressed. Formations of expanded plastie provided on the surface ofa mold wall may be made integral with further expandable plastic formed thereagainst thereafter in the mold.

In still another form of the invention, thermoplastic material in particulate form may be disposed as a layer on the surface of an article, mold or sheet material and held thereon by electrostatic means, magnetic means or gravity. Thereafter, a heated die having raised and recessed portions such as an embossing die or printing cut may have its raised portions brought to bear against the particulate material on said surface to heat and melt these particles aligned with the raised portions thereof. Thereafter the melted particles may form contiguous formations which either remain on the surface the particles are originally applied to or are transferred to the raised portions of the cut or die. The non-melted particles on adjacent areas may be removed thereafter by air blown thereagainst and/or gravity means.

A layer of thermoplastic particles may also be selectively heated by scanning selected areas thereofwith an intense radiation beam such as a laser or electron gun generated beam which beam is operable to intersect, melt and fuse certain of the particles to the exclusion of others as described. The beam may be controlled by a video signal or by signals generated by a hand operated key set which cause the beam to scan areas representative of characters associated with the keys depressed. The heat of the beam may also be operable to fuse the particles to the surface of the substrate on which they are disposed. The substrate on which the particles are disposed may comprise a sheet which is driven to bring new portions thereof into the scanning field of the beam while the particles are continuously flowed to the surface and the unfused particles are continuously removed therefrom after scanning by the beam. The sheet may be driven around the upper and side surface of a support while particles are flowed onto an upwardly facing surface of the sheet after which the sheet may be guided at an angle to the horizontal and the particles removed by gravity. The beam may also be generated at an intensity to selectively burn material fused to the surface of the substrate such as material in the form of characters to burn and brase selected characters.

FIGS. and 16 show structures in dies applicable for selectively applying material as described to mold or article surfaces. In FIG. 15 a die assembly 91 is composed of a die base 92 having an outer stratum or member 93 welded or otherwise secured to the base 92 or formed integrally of the same material thereof. The member or portion 93 is composed of recessed portions 94 and raised portions 95 the outer or upper surfaces 95' of which are adapted to receive coating material as described and compress said coating material against the surface of the work to apply or print same on said surface. Extending along each raised portion 95 is a passageway 96 through which a heat transfer fluid at the desired temperature is circulated by a pump or other means extending from a heater for transferring heat thereto. The heat transferred from the fluid through the wall of portion 95 is sufficient to render the particles disposed against surface 95 molten or in a fusible condition such that it may be transferred partly or in its entirety to a surface engaged by the die. Notations 97 and 98 refer to portions of the same passageway or passageways extending through the member 93 adjacent the raised portion thereof for transferring or conducting a coolant fluid adjacent the raised portion 95 to maintain the surfaces 94 adjacent raised surfaces 95' at a temperature below that at which the molding or coating material will fuse or melt so as to prevent said material from coating said adjacent surfaces. The surfaces 94' may also be coated with a low friction coefficient material such as polytetrafluorethylene to prevent the coating and buildup of coating material thereon.

FIG. 16 shows a modified form of die structure 100 composed of a base 101 having a channel 102 formed therein into which channel a rectangularly cross sectioned tubing member 103 is fitted and secured. The passageway 104 extending through the tube 103 serves to conduct heated liquid or gas to melt or fuse material disposed against the outer surface 105 of the tube for the purpose described. The tube 103 may be friction fitted, welded or soldered in the channel 102 in member 10] and may be shaped to a desired contour or bent to confrom to the channel 102 for effecting the desired coating or welding action.

The die structures illustrated in FIGS. 15 and 16 may also be utilized as heat welding dies for welding plastics and metals. For example, hot gas or liquid at temperatures ranging from several hundred degrees to two or three thousand degrees F. may be flowed through the passageways 96 and 104 for heating portions and 103 to a desired temperature necessary to melt or weld material compressed by said die. The entire die or the portions 93 and 103 may be made of suitable high temperature resistant metal or ceramic material such as tungsten, tungsten carbide, titanium, titanium carbide, aluminum oxide, graphite, nickel alloys, dispersion hardended steel, etc. to resist corrosion and heat deformation or may be flame coated with such materials. Depending on the temperature of the heat transfer fluid passed through passageways 96 and 104, the die structures illustrated may be used in a suitable press or welding fixture means to predeterminately weld aluminum, steel, copper as well as many plastics by passing heat transfer fluid through the passageways to heat and in certain procedures, cool the die thereafter during a preprogrammed welding cycle. In other words, operation of the welding press, transfer of the heat transfer fluid through the passageway(s) and, where applicable, coolant through said passageway(s),etc. may be controlled by a master controller such as a multi-eircuit timer, master controller or computer. Means sensing variations in the temperature of the heat transfer fluid may be used to generate control signals for controlling said temperature at a preset or preprogrammed level during the welding procedure.

In another form of the invention, particle dispensing means and a charged spray mask may be provided in an arrangement such as a typewriter or character printer. The mask may comprise a ball, drum, disc or tape driven continuously or intermittently to bring different character shaped mask openings into alignment with the spray or dispensing head for printing lines of characters on a sheet or other object. The dispensing head may be operated to dispense small quantities or puffs of liquid or solid particles or charged thermoplastic or other material as described containing the same electrostatic charge as the electrical charge of the mask so that the particles will not deposite on the mask but will all pass through the opening in the mask which is in direct alignment with the stream of particles.

While the entire mask may be charged by commutating means located remote from the opening of the mask through which the particles are being directed at the substrate to be printed on or decorated, one or more electrodes may be disposed adjacent to the stream of particles in rolling or sliding contact with the mask, which may be made of sheet metal or other suitable chargable material, so as to concentrate and control the charge. The mask may also be coated with a material such as polytetrafluorethylene to prevent the sticking of any particles which may stray thereon and said particles may be wiped or blown offby an air jet directed thereagainst remote from the axis along which particles are dispensed. A common mount may be provided for the dispensing or spray head for particles which also mounts the said electrodes contacting the mask and the means for rotating or otherwise driving the mask past the dispensing head. The common mount may be movable across a page of print receiving paper or substrate or said substrate or page may be moved with respect to the common mount. The mount and sheet may also be movable relative to each other as, for example, in a conventional typewriter or the IBM ball typewriter with the dispensing head disposed inside the ball or drum or behind the disc or tape. In operation, small predetermined quantities of particles may be dispensed from the spray head or nozzle each time a solenoid is pulsed when or after a selected key of a keyboard array of character keys is depressed upon the selected character opening in the mask coming into alignment with the spray axis, to open a valve in a line or gas pressurized particles or to operate a piston or other device for ejecting said predetermined quantity of particles therefrom towards the aligned mask opening. Particle charging means as described may be provided in the dispensing head and similarly charged particle guide means in the form of charged wires or plates may form a stream of the particles ejected from the dispensing head and to guide said particles towards the mask opening. Of the embodiments illustrated, it is noted that the mount for the spray head 24 may be movable across a sheet of paper while the shell 24 may be pivotally mounted or gimball supported and power rotated about two axes to provide a printing arrangement for flat or irregular surfaces for printing any desired arrangement of characters on said surfaces.

A typical printing apparatus may comprise a bed such as a conventional typewriter bed, flat platen typewriter bed, line printer platen or the like with means for guiding and driving a sheet of paper therethrough past the described printing means which is also supported by said bed. If the mask is a disc or flexible ribbon with openings in the shapes of characters, it may be driven by a constant speed gear motor or a stepping motor in an endless path on a mount or transport supported by the spray head mount. Mechanical and/or electrical means may be provided to synchronize the dispensing of particles with the movement of the mask so that the particles will flow through the openings in the mask selected to print the desired character or shapes on the substrate. For example, the means driving the mask may comprise a constant speed gear motor or a stepping motor having an analog-to-digital converter coupled to its shaft so as to generate digital signals when each character of the mask comes into alignment with the spray or dispensing axis. By programming a comparator with signals generated, for example, by depressing character keys of a keyboard and representative of a selected character or mask opening, the comparator may be operated to generate a control signal when said mask opening is so aligned with the spray axis and may be used to close a switch or operate a solenoid or motor for pulsing particles from the spray head towards the mask opening.

Since the number of particles required to provide each character print may vary from one character to the next, the number of particles dispensed may be varied in accordance with signals generated by each key of the keyboard depressed. This may be effected by varying the duration or voltage of the key generated signals and applying said variable signals to operate the solenoid or other device utilized to dispense particles from the head in a variable manner so that more or less particles are dispensed depending on the key depressed. If the particles dispensed are solid particles, a heating means such as a resistance heating element, laser or other means may be disposed adjacent the mask to direct heat against the particles before, as or after they become deposited on the substrate so as to melt and fuse same to the substrate. The same laser used to fuse and bond said particles to the substrate may also be selectively operated to erase characters by vaporizing the material thereof for correction purposes. A computer may also be used to control the printing operation by generating signals simulating the key genated signals described.

It is noted that the apparatus hereinbefore described and illustrated in the drawings may be modified to effeet the predetermined positioning of articles in molds such as blowmolds, injection molds, rotational and casting molds where it is desired to mold composite articles. For example, plastic, metal or ceramic reinforcements, inserts, decorations or otherwise operative preforms may be individually held and transported by the pivoted or lineally operated transfer devices of FIGS. 6 to 9 and inserted into subcavities in the mold wall defining the molding cavity or otherwise attached to the surface 13 in a manner such that, when molding material is molded thereagainst, it will secure said inserts to the plastic making them part of the molding. The form 31, for example, of FIG. 6 may be replaced by a jaw, chuck or other fixture such as a gravity feed chute or air fed recepticle for small parts which is operative to advance against or towards the mold cavity wall when the mold is open and insert one or more parts held thereby into sub-cavities in the mold wall adapted to retain same in place during molding but shaped to permit the parts to be removed when the molding is pulled out of the mold. If the form 31 is composed of a clamp or motor operated jaws, it may be automatically operative to seize a part on a conveyor or chute disposed adjacent to the transfer device, transfer the part to the mold and insert the part into a hole or subcavity in the mold wall 13, weld, bond or otherwise secure it thereto. If the mold insert is light enough in weight it may be temporarily held in place by charging same electrostatically and holding the part against a flat or shaped portion of the mold wall so shaped as to prevent lateral movement of the part held thereagainst by static electricity. The part may also comprise a sheet or film of decorative material such as printed plastic held against the form 31 by air suction, clamping or other means during its transfer to the surface of the mold and retention thereon by electrostatic force.

In yet another form, modified forms of the apparatus described above and illustrated in the drawings may be utilized to provide inserts such as valves, filling spouts, neck reinforcements and the like to be secured to the walls of blow molded articles such as containers. For example, modified forms of the devices shown in FIGS. 6 to 9 may be utilized to transfer and insert valves and neck reinforcements into retaining cavities of mandrels such as extrusion die mandrels over which plastic material is extruded to form parisons to be blown into containers as by means of the apparatus shown and described in my copending application Ser. No. 889,010 filed on Dec. 12, 1969 as a continuation of Ser. No. 594,924 filed Nov. 16, 1966 for Apparatus and Method for Molding and Filling I-Iollow Objects. Said rotatable or lineally movable fixtures and transfer devices shown in FIGS. 6 to 9 of the instant application may be disposed below the extrusion die mandrel and timed in their operation or interlocked to advance and insert valves and/or neck reinforcements into the extrusion mandrel as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 of said patent applications immediately after the blow molds are separated and the molding previously molded therein has been removed to prepare the die for the next molding operatron.

In yet another embodiment of the invention described above, the particles deposited on the substrate may be liquid or solid particles of paramagnetic material or contain such material as chromium dioxide, barium ferrite such as Ceramagnnet B.G. manufactured by Stackpole Carbon Company of St. Marys, Penna. or various magnetic ink pigments such as manufactured by Wright Industries of Brooklyn, NY. These materials may be dispensed in liquid ink bases or solid thermoplastic resins such as polystyrenes, polyvinyl chlorides, etc. and may be dispensed from the described spray heads and selectively deposited on the substrates described such as a sheet of paper, article or mold cavity wall by generating one or more magnetic fields along the path of travel of the particles and employing said field to either fixedly control the path of travel of the puffs of particles or stream formations thereof or deflection controlling said particle stream to cause the particles to variably deposite on the substrate in any particular outline or shape thereof such as in the shape of characters. In other words, the stream of paramagnetic particles may be horizontally and/or vertically deflection controlled to essentially write with said particles on the substrate by disposing suitable electromagnets along the path of the particles and variably energizing said magnets with time so as to vary the intensity of the magnetic fields with time to variably deflect the particle stream as the substrate is either held stationery or moved with respect to the dispensing head for particles. Upon striking the substrate, the particles may either be magnetically held thereagainst if the substrate is magnetic or paramagnetic such as sheet steel, or may be bonded thereto by adhesion and/or fusion resulting from rendering the particle material molten. Key operated or computer controlled means may be used to predeterminately provide deflection control-signals for variably controlling the deflection controlling magnetic fields along the path of travel of the particles. The same type of deflection yoke means or a modified form thereof employed to magnetically deflection control the beam of a cathode ray tube and the circuit for controlling said magnetic yokes magnetic field may be employed in the above described magnetic particle control apparatus. Particle stream generating means may include the described dispensing head operative to generate a stream of individual particles or droplets or clusters of particles each of which is deflection controlled to intersect a different area of the substrate to form characters and other indicia or surface decorations.

I claim:

1. A method of selectively coating a thermoplastic material onto a substrate comprising:

disposing a multitude of heat fusible particles of paramagnetic thermoplastic material onto the surface of a substrate as a substantially uniform layer covering a first area of said surface, and magnetically retaining said particles against said first area of said surface, and

while said particles are magnetically held against said first area of said surface by magnetic force, subjecting selected of said particles covering a first portion of said first area of said substrate to heat generating radiation of sufficient intensity to melt and fuse said particles to said first area of said substrate, solidifying the melted particles as a layer against the surface of said substrate and removing those particles disposed against the remaining portion of said first area of said substrate which have not been caused to melt and fuse to said substrate by said radiation whereby said first portion of said first area of said substate is coated with said paramagnetic material.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first portion of said first area of said substrate is at least partially inclined to the horizontal and the magnetic retention of particles thereon is operable to hold the particles against the inclined surface during the heating and melting operations. 

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first portion of said first area of said substrate is at least partially inclined to the horizontal and the magnetic retention of particles thereon is operable to hold the particles against the inclined surface during the heating and melting operations. 